Mr. Batavia received the graduate teaching award from DePaul's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business last year and was voted teacher-of-the-year in 2004 by students in the weekend master's business administration program. In 1989 he received an undergraduate teaching award from the university's College of Commerce.

"He won all those teaching awards, and that speaks for itself," said his brother, Bala, an economics professor at DePaul since 1976. "He related to the students very well, explained things very clearly and could reach all level of students.

"He really liked to be with people and related to people and that was part of his excellence as a teacher combined with his teaching ability."

"There was no one who had such an extensive world and business experience in dealing with business people," Miller said.

Whenever the department had an overseas program to meet officials of foreign companies, Mr. Batavia always was the leader.

"The companies just embraced him. He had a certain personality and such charisma that the businesses had complete faith in him.

Mr. Batavia was born and raised in Madras, India, where he received a mathematics degree from the University of Madras in 1975.

Two years later, he joined his brother in the United States and received a master's degree in business administration in 1979 and a master's degree in accounting in 1981.

He became a member of DePaul's economics faculty in 1986.

While traveling in India and Nepal in the 1980s, he met his future wife, Martha Huebner, who spoke German, which, luckily was one of the languages in which he was fluent. The two became friends and married 18 years ago with wedding receptions in India, Germany and the United States.

Mr. Batavia taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, with special emphasis on international economics.

"He filled a niche that was unique. It will take some time before we find someone with that kind of talent," Miller said.

Besides his wife and brother, Mr. Batavia is survived by a nephew, Tejas, and relatives in India.

A memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday in the DePaul Club of the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago.